Deval Devi

Deval Devi (variantly known as Dewal Devi, Dewal Rani, Deval Rani and Dewal Di) was the daughter of Karan Deva II (the last sovereign of the Vaghela dynasty of Gujarat). She was married to Khizr Khan, the eldest son of Alauddin Khalji, in 1308. Eight years later, Khizr Khan was executed by his brother Qutb ud din Mubarak Shah (reigned 1316–1320), and Deval was taken into the latter's harem. In 1320, Mubarak in turn was stabbed and beheaded by his supposed favourite, Khusro Khan (the last ruler of the Khalji dynasty), and his followers. Deval was then married to Khusro Khan. Her story, of being passed from hand to hand amongst a series of ambitious, power-hungry Muslim men is the basis of the celebrated Gujarati historical novel Karan Ghelo authored by Nandshankar Mehta.